Deep mine ore retrieval system



23, 1969 F. w. WANZENBERG ETAL 3,

DEEP MINE ORE RETRIEVAL SYSTEM Fild Dec. 19, 196'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS FRITZ WALTER WANZENBERG FREDERICK WHE E LOC K WANZENBERG ATT'Ys.

1959 P. w. WANZENBERG ETAL 3, 5

DEEP MINE ORE RETRIEVAL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 19, 196'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 21969 P. w. WANZENBERG ETAL 3, 3

DEEP MINE ORE RETRIEVAL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 19, 196'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 5DEEP MINE ORE RETRIEVAL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 19, 196'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 4United States Patent U.S. Cl. 302-11 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A fluid conveying system for retrieving ore from a mine whichutilizes a high pressure sub-system comprising a siphon-like U-tube withfluid pressure created by feeding water into a down-flow riser andforcing crushed ore mixed with water and air which is fed into theconnecting conduit to the surface or to a higher level in an up-flowriser, the bottom conduit connecting the risers having a valveincorporated therein which receives crushed ore mixed with water from alow pressure lateral sub-system and in which the water is partiallyreplaced by air or other gas. The low pressure sub-system has provisionfor injecting additives into the mixture of ore and water. Also,provision may be made for separating high density and low density orematerials and retrieving one while discarding the other at the bottom ofthe system.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.518,349, filed Oct. 11, 1965, now abandoned.

This invention relates to the handling of materials and is moreparticularly concerned with improvements in an apparatus or system forconveying materials, such as ore, in solid form, but including liquidsand gases, from deep and possibly inaccessible positions within theearth to the surface or to some higher elevation above grade.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved system orapparatus for transporting materials, such as crushed ore, from a miningarea to a higher elevation which utilizes differential weight columnsemploying special features and components for attaining eflicient massmovement of the materials.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a materialshandling system or apparatus which is especially designed for use inmining operations, or the like, wherein a fluid mixture, which maycomprise crushed ore, air or other gas and water or other liquid, is fedinto a lateral, low pressure sub-system at the lowest level, andtransferred to a high pressure sub-system to carry the materials fromthe lowest level to the surface or to a higher level and a surface orhigh level sub-system is utilized to separate thesolids from the gas andliquids with provisions for withdrawing liquid from the separating areaso that it may be cleaned and recycled into the system.

g It is a still more specific object of the invention to provide in amining operation a means of conveying crushed solids at or near thelowest elevation laterally over great distances if necessary to thelower end of a high pressure sub-system which is specially designed forconveying the material to the surface or to a higher level. Anotherobject of the invention is to provide apparatus adapted to transfersolids, liquids and gases from a lateral low pressure sub-system to ahigh pressure system by the use of a continuous or intermittentlyoperated rotational distribution valve, which valve is adapted tooperate in such a way that primarily solids and gases, but limited andcontrolled quantities of liquids are carried from the I "ice lowpressure to the high pressure system, with provision for transferringwater from the low pressure to the high pressuresub-system whennecessary to remove ground or excess water to the surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide a material handlingsystem for use in mining operations or the like which is in the form ofasiphon and which utilizes a low pressure sub-system for moving thematerial laterally and a high pressure sub-system for elevating thematerial, wherein means is provided for injecting air into the system atthe lower points of the high pressure subsystem and as necessary alongthe up-flow riser for starting the flow of the material and forfacilitating removal of excess ground water.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic system ofconveying or retrieving materials, such as ore or the like, in a miningoperation which employs a siphon-like arrangement for lifting thematerials to a higher level from a low pressure sub-system located inthe mine wherein provision is made for continuous flow through alternatepaths of the high pressure producing water in the down-flow riser so asto efliect efficient transfer of material from the low pressuresub-system to the high pressure sub-system and obtain maximum materialretrieval.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic systemfor ore retrieval in a mining operation wherein ore is fed to the systemfrom the mine floor, with an arrangement for adding chemicals to the oreconveying fluids so as to facilitate flotation of the ore particles andto provide for mineral dressing and separation of ore by mass andparticle size at the mine floor while moving the ore to the surface orin preparing the ore for beneficiation at the surface or at an upperlevel.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom a consideration of the deep mine ore retrieval or conveying systemor apparatus which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view, with portions broken away, showing asystem for transporting ore from the bottom of a mine to the surface,which embodies the principal features of the invention;

FIGURE 1A is a fragmenary schematic view showing a modification of aportion of the system of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic view in perspective showing thebottom-of-the-mine portion of the system which is illustrated in FIGURE1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, largely in vertical section,showing details of the ore hopper and feeding mechanism and thedistribution valve between the low pressure and high pressuresub-systems;

FIGURE 3A is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modification of theore feeding mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the discharge end ofthe distribution valve;

FIGURE 4A is a fragmentary view showing a portion of FIGURE 4, to anenlarged scale; I v 1 FIGURE 5 is a perspective view, to an enlargedscale, of the sealing glad between the end of the rotating drum and theadjoining end wear plate of the distribution valve;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 5, toan enlarged scale;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional development showing the twochamber distributionvalve of FIGURES 1 to 6;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional development showing the op eration of a modifieddistribution valve having six chambers;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional development showing the operation of a modifieddistribution valve showing three chambers; and t FIGURE is a crosssectional view taken on the line indicated at 1010 in FIGURE 9.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a system or apparatusfor the retrieval of ore from the floor of a relatively deep mine andfor transporting the ore to the surface or to a higher level, whichsystem is based on the fact that solids, within predetermined limits asto size, can be propelled rapidly a substantial distance in a mixture ofliquids and gases which are forced by suitable pressure through conduitsor flow tubes of a size to accommodate the solid particles. By employinga U-tube high pressure siphon arrangement with provision for adding theore and gas-water mixture at the bottom of the U- tube and with pressuresupplied by water fed to the downflow leg or riser, an excess of gas canbe supplied in the up-flow leg or riser to compensate for the increasedweight due to the addition of the solids and thereby create adifferential pressure in the system which is sufficient to overcomesystem friction and achieve high velocity How. The ore is fed into thehigh pressure U-tube through a valve connecting with a low pressurelateral system which withdraws ore from a supply hopper and determinesthe gas-water content of the mixture.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is illustrated a system or apparatusin which a vertically disposed U- shaped tube or conduit constitutes ahigh pressure subsystem which includes primarily a down-flow leg orriser 7 and an up-fiow leg or riser 5 connected at their bottom ends bya horizontally disposed bottom conduit 6 extending along the mine floor.A specially designed distribution or transfer valve 1 is connected intothe bottom conduit 6 which is operated to transfer to the high pressuresubsystem ore material received from a laterally disposed, low pressuresub-system, the latter including an ore supply hopper 23 and a pump 21connected by suction conduit 16 extending from the end of valve 1 to thepump 21, the pressure conduit 22 extending from the pump 21 to thehopper 23, and valve infeed conduit 24 extending from the hopper 28 tothe distribution or transfer valve 1 in a closed circuit arrangementwhich is operated to mix water with the ore in the hopper 23 and to feedthe ore and water mixture to the valve 1, where the water is replaced atleast in part by air or other gas, and the mixture is then introducedinto the conduit 6 at the bottom of the high pressure sub-system throughwhich it is carried to the up-flow riser 5 for discharge into thesettling tank 29 at the surface.

Referring to FIGURE 2, there is shown more or less schematically, thelateral sub-system which is provided on the mine floor. Ore is screenedat 47 and crushed at 48,

using conventional ore screening and crushing equipment, and thenconveyed by chutes 28 and 49 to the supply hopper 23. The ore is reducedto a particle size suitable for conveying in the the size conduit orpipe which is provided. Generally, satisfactory operation results if theore is crushed so that any three largest-in-line particle diameters areequal to or less than the size of the pipes or conduits through whichthey pass. The ore is conveyed by chutes 28 and 49 into the hopper 23which may be filled or partially filled with water or other liquid. Theore and water is mixed and agitated by a squirrel cage impeller 46rotatably mounted between the end walls of the hopper 23 in spacedrelation above the bottom of the hopper so that water may be forced bythe combination high pressure and suction pump 21 (FIGURE 2) through thepipe or conduit 22 (FIGURE 3) and nozzle 62 into the bottom of thehopper, and then discharged through the venturi mouth 68 into the pipeor conduit 24 which leads to the transfer valve 1. The pipe 24 is placedin communication with the lowermost chamber A in the rotating drum ofthe valve 1 when the drum 45 is rotated to the predetermined positionshown in FIGURE 3.

The drum 45 in the form illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4 and 4A is dividedinto two compartments A and B and is rotated between relatively fixedend plate support memhers 51. Drum 45 has shaft members 65 and 66 atopposite ends which extend through inner wear and mounting plates 53,outer wear and mounting plates 52 and the rela tively fixed manifoldplates 51. The end shaft 65 is extended and connected to the drive motor11 through a conventional gear or chain and sprocket or belt and pulleydrive means indicated at 11. The shafts 65 and 66 are splined at theirinner ends for positive rotational engagement with the drum 45. Each ofthe shafts 65 and 66 is provided with disc springs 86 and tighteningdrum nuts 58 threaded thereon for applying compressive force to hold theplates 51, 52 and 53 in compressive engagement. Thrust bearings 85 and87 (FIGURE 4) take the axial load while roller bearing 59 takes theradial load. The splined ends of shafts 65 and 66 are also headed sothat they will lock the plate members 51, 52 and 53 in compression inconjunction wtih spring washers 86 and mounting nuts 58. The one endmanifold 51 is pivotally mounted as indicated at 73 on a base plate 74while the plate 51 at the opposite end of the valve 1 has a slidingconnection at 75 with the base plate 74 to facilitate disassembly. Ahigh pressure seal member 50, of rubber or similar resilient material,is mounted on the inner face of the outer wear plate 52. Outer shearbushings 56 serve as wear interfaces at the shear plane and hold thehigh pressure seal member against the outer wear plate 52 while lockingthe latter to the outer mounting and manifold plate 51, the bushings 56being threaded into aligned apertures in the outer wear plate 52 and themanifold 51 which apertures are on opposite sides of the axle members 65and 66 with one axially aligned set thereof connected into the bottomconduit 6 of the high pressure system and the other axially aligned setbeing connected into the low pressure system through the conduits 24 and16. Inner shear bushings serve as wear interfaces at the shear plane andlock the inner wear plate 53 to the distribution valve drum 45. Theinner shear bushings 54 are threaded into apertures in the end wall ofthe drum A5 and extend through apertures in the inner wear plate 53 withexterior peripheral flanges 97 locking the inner wear plate 53 to theend of the distribution valve drum 45. The inner wear plate 53 isprovided with inner and outer female forming grooves 98 and 99 forreceiving the inner and outer peripheral sealing flanges 103 and 104 onthe seal member 50. The bushing 56 in the low-pressure line 16 is fittedwith a strainer 55, the inner surface of which is flush with the shearplane. The strainer allows water or fluid to flow out of the chamber Awhile restraining the solid particles against discharge from the chamberto insure that positive ore particles will be kept moving downstream,that is, washed out of the system so that moving surfaces will be keptfree of such material. High pressure clean water is fed to the manifoldplates 51 through the conduits and 61 (FIGURES 3 and 4). As shown inFIGURE 4, high pressure water enters through the conduit 60 and rifling83 into grooves 80 and 84 on the inner surface of plate 51 and from thegrooves 80 and 84 through the outer wear plate 52 and seal member 50 viathe tube 93 (FIGURE 4A) which extends through opening in the seal member50 supplying high pressure water between inner and outer peripheralsealing flanges 103 and 104 of seal member 50 to the inner space betweeninner wear plate 53 and outer wear plate 52, with a correspondingarrangement on the opposite end of distribution valve 1. Wiper seals 101and 102 (FIG.- ures 5 and 6) are provided to confine the high pressurewater to points where the sealing devices are most exposed to fine oreparticles and serve to reduce the volume of high pressure water requiredto flush the sealing devices of such particles and prevent their entryinto the system.

The P p 21 p ng as a pressure pump in he closed low pressure sub-systemdrives the ore and water mixture from the bottom of the hopper 23through the conduit 24 and into the chamber A and when the chamber A isfilled a cut-off piston 69 at the end of the contion which providesconstant resistance during rotation so that continuous uninterruptedflow may be maintained in both the high and low pressure sub-systems,thereby eliminating the need for pressure surge capacity or bypass ofclean water the high pressure sub-system. Both ore feed and scavengingcan take place simultaneously and continuously. In this design highpressure water is fed from nozzles 95 directly into the shear plane atthe juncture of infeed conduit 24 and the drum 45" so as to wash oreparticles from this shear plane and eliminate undue wear of the shearsurfaces which would otherwise result from the presence of the abrasiveparticles. In the arrangement illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10, two pathsfor the high pressure water are provided through the drum 45", therisers 5 and 7 having dual connections 5', 5" and 7', 7" at the ends ofthe distribution valve 45" and into chambers A and G when in theposition shown in FIGURE 9 being both in the high pressure sub-system.No pressure by-pass or energy accumulator is required in this case.

When it is desired to employ the system in an exceptionally deep minethe core, water and air mixture may be raised in stages. The lowermosthigh pressure system may be arranged to discharge into a hopper 23 inthe low pressure sub-system of the next higher level. Doubling up of thesystem in this manner enables the Wall size of fittings, pipes and soforth to be reduced. Since air must be removed at each level closedsystems are not practical.

The system requires that excess water removed from the chambers in therotating drum of the distribution valve 1 as the drum rotates and movesthe chambers from the high pressure to the low pressure sub-system bedisposed of or removed from the bottom of the mine. Where the mine islocated, for example, high in the mountains and drainage can be providedwithout excessive cost, disposal of excess water present is notdifficult. Where removal of excess water outside the sys-.

tem is not practical at the lower level, it may be taken care of byinserting a pump in the system which will discharge into the up-fiowriser 5. In the form of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 8, a pump would beinserted between the line 88 and the up-flow riser 5 to take care ofexcess water which is withdrawn from the chambers in the rotating drumand line 88 would not discharge into suction line 16 as shown. In theform of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 to 7, water traps may beprovided at the bottom ends of the risers 5 and 7 and high pressure airintroduced at the intake side, that is at 32 (FIGURE 1), between thetrap at the bottom of the downflow riser 7 and the distribution valve 1to replace the high pressure water in the chamber after the charge ofore is forced out. Air can be bled from the chambers as they roatte tothe low pressure position and compressed in successive stages to providehigh pressure air for return to the intake side of the distributionvalve. Since discharge of high pressure air into the low pressure systemwould be undesirable, and since air at any pressure above atmosphererepresents work, such work can be saved by feeding said bled air intothe intake of intermediate pressure stages of the said air compressor.

The system has a further practical limitation in that it is useful onlywhere hydraulic conveying is consistent with other processingoperations, such as, wet screening etc.

While particular materials and specific details of construction arereferred to in describing the illustrated forms of the apparatus, itwill be understood that equivalent materials and other suitablestructural arrangements of an equivalent nature may be resorted towithin the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A conveyor system for transporting ore or similar solids in particleform from a lower level in a mine or the like to a higher level whereinthe ore particles are mixed with liquids and gases for transport intubular conduits, which system comprises a high pressure subsystemhaving a vertically disposed U-tube with the legs upstanding from abottom connecting conduit which is disposed in a generally horizontalposition, one of said legs forming a down-flow riser, and the other ofsaid legs forming an up-iiow riser, a. low pressure sub-system disposedat the bottom of said U-tube which includes an ore hopper from which theore is fed into the low pressure sub-system, a distribution valve havingcharge forming compartments and means to move said compartments betweenan ore receiving position where the compartment is in communication withthe low pressure sub-system and a discharge position where thecompartment is in communication with the high pressure sub-system, meansto supply the down flow riser with a liquid so as to provide pressuresufficient to force the ore out of a compartment of the distributionvalve and into the up-flow riser when the compartment is in dischargeposition, and said low-pressure sub-system including fluid pressuremeans for forcing the ore out of the hopper and into a conduit leadingto said distribution valve.

2. A conveyor system for transporting ore or similar solids in particleform from a lower level in a mine or the like to a higher level whereinthe ore particles are mixed with liquids and gases for transport intubular conduits, which system comprises a high pressure sub-systemhaving a vertically disposed U-tube with the legs upstanding from abottom connecting conduit which is disposed in a generally horizontalposition, one of said legs forming a down-flow riser and the other ofsaid legs forming an up-flow riser, a low pressure sub-system disposedat the bottom of said U-tube which includes an ore hopper from which theore is fed into the low pressure sub-system, a distribution valve havingcharge forming compartments and means to move said compartments betweenan ore receiving position where the compartment is in communication withthe low pressure sub-system and a discharge position where thecompartment is in communication with the high pressure sub-system, meansto supply the down-flow riser with a liquid so as to provide pressuresufficient to force the ore out of a. compartment of the distributionvalve and into the up-tlow riser when the compartment is in dischargeposition, and said low-pressure sub-system including a closed circuitarrangement with a pump which connects on its discharge side with theore supply hopper and operates to force ore and liquid from the oresupply hopper into an infeed connection with said distribution valve.

3. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 2 and said low-pressuresub-system including a dual purpose pump which is connected on itsdischarge side with a passageway through the ore supply hopper forforcing ore and liquid out of said ore supply hopper and into aconnection with the infeed side of said distribution valve, and saidlow-pressure sub-system having a suction producing connection betweensaid distribution valve and the intake side of said pump so as towithdraw liquid from the ore and liquid mixture forced into saiddistribution valve from said ore supply hopper.

4. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 3 and means connected to thelow-pressure sub-system to supply air to said distribution valve forreplacing the liquid withdrawn from said ore and liquid mixture.

5. Conveyor apparatus for transporting solids such as crushed ore, froma lower level in a mine, or the like, to a higher level wherein thesolids are mixed with water and air for transport in tubular conduits,which apparatus comprises a vertically disposed U-tube forming a siphon,with the legs upstanding from a bottom connecting cross conduit, one ofsaid legs forming a dOWn-fiOW riser and the other of said legs formingan up-flow riser, a laterally extending conduit disposed at the bottomof said U-tube, means for supplying solids mixed with water to said duit24 is advanced until its face is flush with the rotating face of thedrum 45 so that no solids are sheared when the drum 45 is rotated. Thepump 21 continues to operate applying suction through the line 16 topull water through the strainer 55 and into the low pressure sub-system.As suction continues an air valve comprising spring 64 and ball 63 inthe piston 69 permits air to pass from the atmosphere through therifling valve chamber and orifice 82 of the piston 69 into the chamber Areplacing the liquid drawn through the strainer 55. To reduce wear onthe piston 69 and its reciprocating surfaces high pressure water is fedby hose 72 through rifling into annular chambers 67 to exceed thepressure of the ore in the conduit 24 so as to exclude abrasive ore fromthe reciprocating and shear surfaces.

The high pressure system is provided with pressure producing water whichis taken initially from the settling pond 29. Water is drawn from thepond 29 by motor driven pump 105 and passed through the pipe or conduitinto the first of duplex cyclones 36 and of conventional construction.After the first stage of cycloning to remove entrained solids the cleanwater rises into the pump 34 while some water and solids go into thedownflow pipe 37. Partly clean water passes from the first cyclone 36through pipe 42 to cyclone 40. Clean water rises through the pipe 39 tothe pump 34 while some water and solids go down the pipe 41 which mergeswith the downflow from the pipe 37 and is returned to the pond 29through the pipe 38. The solids are dredged from the bottom of the pond29 by the bucket conveyor 30 which discharges onto the conveyor 31 fortransfer to the processing plant for further dressing and beneficiation.The motor driven pump 34 empties into the pipe or conduit 33 and entersthe down-flow riser 7, the bottom end of which becomes the high pressureintake of the distribution valve 1 through connecting conduit 6.

Some of the clean water from the down-flow riser 7 may enter thepressure relief valve 4 and bypass the distribution valve 1 through theconduit 3, thereby discharging into the conduit 6 which feeds theup-fiow riser 5 when the distribution valve 1 has the high pressurepassage blocked. Alternately, clean water from the riser 7 may enter theair filled accumulator 43 during the period when the distribution valvehigh pressure passage is blocked. An accumulator 44 in the up-flow riserwill 4 provide continuous flow of the ore mixture during the blockedperiod by releasing its accumulated energy.

In order to start flow of the material or operation of the apparatus airis forced into the up-fiow riser 5 through the air line 32 until thedifferential columnar pressure between the down-flow riser 7 and theup-fiow riser 5 is sufficient to move a charge of ore and air from thechamber of drum when the latter is aligned for communication with theconduit 6 and is free to discharge into the latter. High pressure airmay also be supplied to the high pressure chamber 45 through the conduit32 in removing excess ground water from the mine. The ground water willfill the chamber in the valve 1 between the traps 301 and 302 in theconduits 7 and 6 and be siphoned into the riser 5 for discharge into thepond 29. Check valve 300 helps keep flow in proper direction.

By maintaining a constant predetermined velocity in the high pressuresystem sufficient to sustain water-borne solids on conduit 6 and up-flowriser 5, it is possible to separate high density materials from lowdensity materials. The more dense particles will settle into the conduit8 which is connected to the bottom of the riser 5 at its juncture withconduit 6, at a given velocity and then, either periodically orcontinuously, the heavy particles may be washed down by opening thevalve 9 so that the heavy particles are carried into escapement valve 10and from there into the receiver 12 for disposal as waste material.Valve 10 may have the same construction and operation as thedistribution valve 1 with a drive motor which is indicated at 111 and anaccumulator 115 may be placed in the line 116 which connects thechambers 1n the valve 10. Water which is released into the wastereceiver 12 is withdrawn through the suction pipe 13 and pump 14 forreturn through the line 17 back into'.the low pressure system. Theaccumulator 15 in the line 16 which is filled with both air and waterserves to balance transient pressure surges in the suction line 16.

Clean water is taken from the riser pipe 7 through the pipe 20 intoadditive containers which are arranged to eject small amounts ofadditives continuously into the low pressure system, the high pressurewater used for this purpose flowing with the additives through the pipe19 and into the pipe 16 of the low pressure sub-system.

When light ore fractions are to be disposed of as waste within the mineand heavy ore fractions are to be removed to the surface, the modifiedarrangement shown in FIG- URE 1A may be employed. In this arrangement,ore leaving the distribution valve 1 moves through conduit 6 and entersthe sump 25 where heavy particles will settle and light particles willremain on the top. A divider 26 is set at a mass cut-off position sothat particles above the divider will move into the conduit 8 leading tothe valve 9 and thence through the valve 10 to the waste receiver 12.Air in the conduit 8 will rise through the pipe 27 into the up-fiowriser 5. Heavy particles settling below the divider 26 will enter theriser 5 and be conveyed to the surface as valuable ore fractions.

The distribution valve 1 and associated parts may be modified to bettermeet certain conditions. One modification is shown in FIGURE 3A whereinthere is substituted for the piston 69 a segment wedge 70 which containsan air valve 107 of the same character as the air valve in piston 69.The segment wedge 70 pivots between an open and a closed position in theend of the feed pipe 24-, being mounted in the end plate 51' and havinga high velocity water jet supplied through the nozzle 71 to keep thesurfaces clear of abrasive ore. In the closed position the segment wedge70 bears against the outer face of the outer wear plate 52.

The distribution valve 1 as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, has a rotatabledrum 45 with two chambers designated A and B which upon rotation of thedrum 45 are positioned alternately in the high pressure sub-system andthe low pressure sub-system. The valve 1 may be modified as shown inFIGURE 8 to provide a larger number of chambers in the drum 45, sixbeing shown in this form which are designated A, B, C, D, E and F. Inthe position shown in FIGURE 8 the chamber B is disposed incommunication with the down-flow riser 7 and the discharge conduit 6 ofthe high pressure sub-system. The chamber E is disposed in the lowpressure system with infeed of ore and water provided through theconduit 24 which connects with the ore supply hopper 23, the ore andwater being mixed by the impeller 46 and being forced out of the bottomof the hopper 23 through the venturi 68 by the nozzle 62. In the sixthchamber drum shown in FIGURE 8 air is let into all the chambers exceptin the high pressure position when the chamber is aligned with theconduits 7 and 6. Air is fed from the atmosphere into check valve 91 andthrough the conduit into the chambers or alternately directly into thevalve 92 and thence to the connected chamber. At the other end of thevalve water is drawn through strainer 55 from the chamber E which ispositioned in the low pressure subsystem and progressively throughstrainers 89 from chambers A, B, C, D and F and into the conduit 88which connects with the conduit 16, the latter being the suction portionof the low pressure sub-system. The chambers E and B are shown in lowpressure intake and high pres sure discharge positions, respectively.

FIGURES 9 and 10 show another modified chamber arrangement for therotating drum of the distribution valve. In this arrangement threechambers are shown with a four opening inlet and outlet manifoldconfiguralaterally extending conduit, means for replacing with air asubstantial amount of the water which is mixed with the solids, meansfor connecting said laterally extending conduit and said bottom conduit,said connecting means including a transfer valve having a plurality ofchambers movable between said laterally extending conduit and saidbottom conduit which are operative to transfer successive quantities ofthe solids mixed with water and air from the laterally extending conduitto said bottom conduit, means to supply the down-flow riser withrelatively clean water so as to force the mixture of solids, water andair into the up-flow riser in which they are carried to the higher levelby pressure generated by the water supplied to the down-flow riser, anda supplementary conduit con-' nected to the bottom of the up-flow riserand disposed so that solids exceeding a predetermined density may settleinto said supplementary conduit, :and valve means in said supplementaryconduit which is operative to remove said solids from said supplementaryconduit for disposal at the lower level.

6. Conveyor apparatus for transporting solids such as crushed ore, froma lower level in a mine, or the like, to a higher level wherein thesolids are mixed with water and air for transport in tubular conduits,which apparatus comprises a vertically disposed U-tube forming a siphon,with the legs upstanding from a bottom connecting cross conduit, one. ofsaid legs forming a down-flow riser and the other of said legs formingan up-flow riser, a laterally extending conduit disposed at the bottomof said U-tube, means for supplying solids mixed with water to saidlaterally extending conduit, means for replacing with air a substantialamount of the water which is mixed with the solids, means for connectingsaid laterally extending conduit and said bottom conduit, saidconnecting means including a transfer valve having a plurality ofchambers movable between said laterally extending conduit and saidbottom conduit which are operative to transfer successive quantities ofthe solids mixed with water and air from the laterally extending conduitto said bottom conduit, means to supply the down-flow riser withrelatively clean water so as to force the mixture of solids, water andam into the up-flow riser in which they are carried to the higher levelby pressure generated by the water supplied to the down-flow riser, andsaid laterally extending conduit having a pump for creating suction inone portion of said conduit and for forcing water under pressure throughanother portion thereof.

7. Conveyor apparatus as set forth in claim 6 and said means forsupplying solids mixed with water to said laterally extending conduitcomprising a hopper into which the solids are fed, said hopper having apassageway connected into the portion of the laterally extending conduitthrough which water is forced by said pump so that solids mixed withwater are carried into said conduit and subsequently transferred to saidbottom conduit which connects the down-flow and up-flow risers.

8. Conveyor apparatus for transporting solids such as crushed ore, froma lower level in a mine, or the like, to a higher level, wherein thesolids are mixed with water and air for transport in tubular conduits,which apparatus comprises a vertically disposed conduit in the form of aU-tube with the legs upstanding from a bottom connecting cross conduit,one of said legs forming a down-flow riser and the other of said legsforming an up-flow riser, a laterally extending conduit disposed at thebottom of said U-tube, an ore supply hopper having a passagewayconnected into the line formed by said laterally extending conduit,means for supplying solids to said hopper for entry into said laterallyextending conduit through said passageway, fluid pressure means forforcing the solids out of the hopper and through said passageway, adistribution valve in said laterally extending conduit and said bottomconduit and having means forming chambers movable between said laterallyextending conduit and said bottom connecting cross conduit fortransferring successive quantities of the solids mixed with water andair from the laterally extending conduit to said bottom connectingconduit, means for supplying air to said distribution valve for mixingwith the solids andmeans to supply the down-flow riser with water so asto force the mixture of solids, water and air into the up-flow riser inwhich they are carried to the higher level by pressure generated by thewater supplied to the down-flow riser.

9. Conveyor apparatus as set forth in claim 8 and said distributionvalve comprising a drum-like member mounted for rotation on anaxisextending between fixed manifold forming plates, said manifold plateshaving connections with said laterally extending conduit and with thecross conduit connecting the risers so that predetermined rotation ofthe drum-like member places the interior thereof in communicationalternately with said laterally extending conduit and said crossconduit, and seal forming means between the ends of the drum-like memberwhich includes a resilient gasket and associated means for feeding waterunder pressure to the contacting seal surfaces so as to flush .out anyabrasive material.

10. Conveyor apparatus for transporting solids such as crushed ore, froma lower level in a mine, or the like, to a higher level wherein thesolids are mixed with water and air for transport in tubular conduits,which apparatus comprises a vertically disposed U-tube forming a siphon,with the legs upstanding from a bottom connecting cross conduit, one ofsaid legs forming a down-flow riser and the other of said legs formingan up-flow riser, a laterally extending conduit disposed at the bottomof said U-tube, means for supplying solids mixed with water to saidlaterally extending conduit, means for replacing with air a substantialamount of the water which is mixed with the solids, means for connectingsaid laterally extending conduit and said bottom conduit, saidconnecting means including a transfer valve having a plurality ofchambers movable between said laterally extending conduit and saidbottom conduit Which are operative to transfer successive quantities ofthe solids mixed. with water and air from the laterally extendingconduit to said bottom conduit, means to supply the down-flow riser withrelatively clean water so as to force the mixture of solids, water andair into the up-flow riser in which they are carried to the higher levelby pressure generated by the water supplied to the down-flow riser, anda by-pass conduit having connections with said cross conduit forpermitting flow of water around said distribution valve to said up-flowriser when flow through said distribution valve is blocked.

11. Conveyor apparatus for transporting solids such as crushed ore, froma lower level in a mine, or the like, to a higher level, wherein thesolids are mixed with water and air for transport in tubular conduits,which apparatus comprises a vertically disposed conduit in the form of aU-tube with the legs upstanding from a bottom connecting cross conduit,one of said legs forming a down-flow riser and the other of said legsforming an up-flow riser, a laterally extending conduit disposed at thebottom of said U-tube, an ore supply hopper having a passagewayconnected into the line formed by said laterally extending conduit,means for supplying solids to said hopper for entry into said laterallyextending con-duit through said passageway, a distribution valveconnecting said laterally extending conduit and said bottom conduitwhich is operative to transfer successive quantities of the solids mixedwith water and air from the laterally extending conduit to said bottomconduit, means for supplying air to said distribution valve for mixingwith the solid-s and means to supply the down-flow riser with relativelyclean water so as to force the mixture of solids, water and air into theup-flow riser in which they are carried to the higher level by pressuregenerated by the water supplied to the down-flow riser, and meansincluding a sump and a divider in said cross conduit for separating lowand high density solid particles at the lower level and means for with-11 drawing low density particles for disposal at the lower level whilepermitting high density particles to be carried to the upper level.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,301,350 11/1942 Whitfield302-23 932,544 8/1909 Haarmann 30215 1,020,743 3/1912 Burlingham et a130215 1,512,561 10/1924 Oliphant 30214 3,232,672 2/1966 Gardner 30214ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner 0 US. Cl. X.R. 302*14

